Box Score

Waipahu, HI -- Academy of Art University Women's Tennis was back to its dominant ways late Friday night as the Urban Knights routed Point Loma 5-0 in the consolation semifinals of the 2013 Pacific West Conference Women's Tennis Championship. Coming out of doubles play up 3-0, ART U looked poised to capture what would have been a 9-0 victory had the match not been stopped early per conference rules. Freshman Michelle Dandik Zaale and senior Amal Ben El Hadj were the first to finish their singles wins in straight sets.

After Academy of Art had fallen to #4 BYU-Hawaii twice the previous two days, the team was quick to put the past behind them and push ahead of Point Loma early. The Knights' #1 doubles team of freshman Nina Gajdosikova and junior Daniela Amelunge Antelo stood victorious over PLNU's Maika Adair and Sharon Reibstein 8-4 while Ben El Hadj and Dandik Zaale made short work of Hope Penner and Preethika Venugopal 8-2 at #2. The longest doubles match was at #3, but sophomore Jenny Johansson and freshman Lucia Zavarcikova outlasted Wileen Chiu and Kiersten Steinhauer 8-6.

When the Knights and Sea Lions had met once earlier this season in San Diego, Point Loma had used strong singles play to earn a victory. Just the opposite happened Friday night as ART U was extremely sharp after the break. All six Academy of Art players took their respective first sets, then it was Dandik Zaale who put away Penner 6-3, 6-2 at #2 and Ben El Hadj who took care of Reibstein 6-2, 6-1 at #3 for the 5-0 end result. Gajdosikva had been up 6-4 at #1 while Johansson (#4), Amelunge Antelo (#5), and Zavarcikova (#6) all led 6-3 after the initial set.

ART U rises to 19-7 overall this season. The Urban Knights will now play for a 5th place finish in the tournament when they face Azusa Pacific for the second time this season at 5:30 PM Pacific Time back at Central Oahu Regional Park.